The Wheelchair Olympia is the sixth men’s division and the 10th overall to be added to the annual Olympia. This competition was born in 2018 and has become an annual tradition that has inspired fans and future athletes.
Seven contests have been held, but only two athletes have won the title as of 2024. Harold Kelley has six of those championships. Karol Milewski won in 2023 and remains the only athlete to have beaten Kelley on the Olympia stage.
Every Wheelchair Olympia Winner
- Harold Kelley — 2018-22, 2024
- Karol Milewski — 2023
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Harold Kelley (2018 – 2022, 2024)
The Wheelchair division had been around for some time but finally earned a place on the Olympia stage in 2018. Las Vegas, NV, was the site of the first Wheelchair Olympia, and Kelley was its first champion. Fans were inspired by the athletes who graced the stage and wanted more, making it an Olympia staple from then on.
2018 — Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
- Harold Kelley
- Anand Arnold
- Ludovic Marchand
Kelley was the favorite entering the 2019 Olympia, but winning was not certain. Gabriele Andruilli showed he had the muscle to pose alongside the defending champion, and former Men’s Open competitor Kris Dim returned to the stage as a Wheelchair competitor.
Ultimately, Kelley proved his first win the year prior was no fluke. Andruilli and Dim finished the 2019 Olympia in second and third, respectively.
2019 — Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
- Harold Kelley
- Gabriele Andruilli
- Kris Dim
2020 was a year of uncertainty for the world at large due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many wondered if the Olympia would happen.
New Olympia owner Jake Wood was determined to host a world championship event. He and Olympia president Dan Solomon led their team as they relocated the Olympia from Las Vegas to Orlando.
Several new champions were crowned at the 2020 Olympia, but Kelley was among the few who successfully defended his title.
2020 — Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
- Harold Kelley
- Antoni Khadraoui
- Adelfo Cerame Jr.
2021 was rinse and repeat. Kelley was number one in the division and appeared to have no one threatening him. He took to the Olympia stage in 2021 as a three-time champion and left as a four-time winner. Andruilli claimed second place for a second time.
2021 — Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
- Harold Kelley
- Gabriele Andriulli
- Antoni Khadraoui
2022 was the first time that fans saw a dent in Kelley’s armor. He placed second behind Andruilli at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH, earlier that year — it was Kelley’s first loss since his reign as Olympia champion started. It set up an intriguing showdown for the 2022 Olympia in Las Vegas.
However, whatever mistakes Kelley made in Columbus were not repeated at the Olympia, and he emerged victorious for the fifth year in a row. Andruilli settled for silver again, and Antoni Khadraoui was awarded bronze.
2022 — The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
- Harold Kelley
- Gabriele Andruilli
- Antoni Khadraoui
2024 — Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
2024’s edition of the Wheelchair Olympia featured 12 athletes — the largest in the contest’s history. Many fans felt the new champion, Karol Milewski, would repeat in Las Vegas, but he did not appear at his best.
Kelley regained the title he had lost one year prior, making it six career Olympia victories. Kevin Secundino finished second, and Milewski dropped to third.
- Harold Kelley
- Kevin Secundino
- Karol Milewski
Karol Milewski (2023)
Milewski is the only athlete to defeat Kelley on the Olympia stage — and it came during an upset win in 2023. Kelley was not as conditioned as usual, and Milewski took advantage by presenting his best shape to date.
The judges gave Milewski the nod, resulting in the division’s second champion ever. Milewski’s reign was short-lived, as Kelley reclaimed the title one year later.
2023 — Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
- Karol Milewski
- Harold Kelley
- Josue Fabiano Barreto Monteiro
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Featured Image: @wheelchairbodybuilding on Instagram
